Virginia governor race 2013 poll: Terry McAuliffe holds narrow edge

Days before their first debate, Democrat Terry McAuliffe is maintaining a slight lead over Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli in the Virginia governor’s race, according to a poll on Thursday.

McAuliffe led Cuccinelli 43 percent to 39 percent in the Quinnipiac poll. His lead, which is within the margin of error, was similar to a previous poll by the university in May, which found McAuliffe up, 43 percent to 38 percent.

This week in politics in 90secs

In the lieutenant governor’s race, both candidates were relative unknowns to voters. Asked how favorably they viewed the candidates, 81 percent said they did not know enough about Republican E.W. Jackson to form an opinion, and 90 percent said the same about Democrat Ralph Northam.

The gubernatorial candidates have their first debate on Saturday, held by the Virginia Bar Association and PBS.